The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has announced the launch of the Lead Free CT initiative aimed at reducing lead poisoning in children.
The initiative was unveiled Wednesday morning with DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani and other key officials. The Lead Free CT initiative aims to safeguard the health and future of Connecticut's children by addressing lead hazards in homes, schools and communities.
Health officials highlighted that lead exposure commonly happens in and around buildings constructed before 1978, when use of lead paint was common.
"It's often you see in peeling paint whether it is on molding in the home, a young child may eat soil,” Juthani said. “And guess what, lead is really sweet, and these potential risks can be irreversible, which is why it is so important that we identify this early.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no safe level of lead that can be found in children’s blood because any amount could lead to health effects.
“Even low levels of lead in blood are associated with developmental delays, difficulty learning, and behavioral issues,” the CDC said. “The effects of lead poisoning can be permanent and disabling.”
Currently, Connecticut mandates annual blood lead level screenings for young children between the ages of nine months and 35 months. But the new initiative aims to help with lead abatement before it shows up in a child’s blood test.
Protecting children from lead exposure
The initiative will utilize federal pandemic relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to make homes lead-safe, by helping to pay for environmental lead testing and removal.
DPH Deputy Commissioner Lisa Morrissey emphasized the shift towards primary prevention.
"It's because of this investment that we were able to partner with CCMC and our local health departments to accomplish this,” Morrissey said. “Families can contact their local health department, or they can go to the website … to make that application to learn more about where they can they be exposed to lead,” Morrisey said.
Bridget Feagin, CFO of Connecticut Children's, highlighted a $15 million grant from DPH for the Healthy Homes program, which aims to eliminate lead paint hazards at no cost to eligible families.
"This initiative targets Connecticut residents who meet the program requirements for lead abatement,” Fagan said. “There's no income limits to this program."
Families can contact local health departments or visit leadfreeCT.org for more information on lead exposure and home safety.
Helping the most vulnerable residents avoid lead
The Lead-Free CT initiative aims to tackle the higher rates of lead poisoning found in Connecticut's communities of color, low-income areas and rural regions.
Juthani said these communities often live in older homes with peeling paint and outdated infrastructure, making them more vulnerable to lead exposure.
“Yes, there are more Black and brown young children who have been intoxicated with lead overall in our state,” Juthani said. “That is what we've seen for decades and that is why it is such an important public health problem and one that needs to be addressed.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said this project aims to address environmental justice. The initiative will prioritize lead hazard remediation in these vulnerable neighborhoods.
“There's no question that disproportionately, people of color suffer more because of lead poisoning, but it is not limited to inner cities,” Blumenthal said. “The most recent action in Connecticut involved a development in Putnam. These are rural areas, [too].”
A recent analysis of U.S. Census data by CT Mirror found that housing built before 1960 makes up 41% of all housing in Connecticut, the fifth-highest percentage in the country.
“This is a statewide problem,” Blumenthal said.
